Govt revokes deeds of 500,000 acres of land in Lamu

President Uhuru Kenyatta has ordered the revocation of titles deeds to nearly 500,000 acres of land in Lamu County, which he said was acquired fraudulently.

He directed Land Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu and the National Lands Commission to repossess land parcels allocated to 22 private entities.

In a televised statement to the Nation, President Kenyatta also instructed the Inspector General of Police, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and the Criminal Investigation Department to immediately commence investigations with a view to bringing to account all persons who were involved in dubious land allocation in Lamu County.

“This criminal conspiracy has dispossessed individuals and families living in this region of their land and opportunities for improving their wellbeing. It has also helped fuel the current insecurity being experienced in the region, and frustrated our efforts in building cohesion in the country,” the President said.

“For far too long this pattern of mismanagement of our public resources has resulted in the dispossession, strife and poverty of Kenyans. The level of impunity revealed by the audit is unprecedented, untenable and unacceptable,” said the President, who had earlier revealed the audit results and his planned action to more than 100 Lamu political and religious leaders, including Governor Issa Timamy.

He said a comprehensive land audit done by the Government revealed shocking details in which between 2011 and 2012 almost 500,000 acres of public land was alienated under dubious and corrupt circumstances.

“While a few used illegal means for their own gain, the many thousands of families living in this County occupy only 30% of the land available for settlement and production,” President Kenyatta said.

“The level of impunity revealed by the audit is unprecedented, untenable and unacceptable,” the President emphasized.

He added that land transactions in Lamu were not done in accordance to the principles underpinning land management in the Constitution of Kenya nor the laws regulating public land alienation at the time.

The President warned that the criminal conspiracy had dispossessed individuals and families living in the region of their land and opportunities for improving their wellbeing.

He said this criminality had also helped fuel the current insecurity being experienced in the region, and frustrated Governments efforts in bringing cohesive amongst Kenyans.

President Kenyatta pledged Government’s commitment to securing the dignity, wellbeing and property of every Kenyan without fear or favor.

He said the Jubilee’s Government transformative agenda will not be derailed or delayed “by acts of few selfish individuals”, adding that the massive $24 billion LAPSSET project will be implemented timely as planned.

Earlier President Kenyatta held lengthy discussions with Lamu county leaders led by Governor Issa Timamy.

During their discussions the leaders agreed with the decision taken by the President to revoke title deeds in the County.